Graduates – Preservation of Chattanooga Central History

Football, Graduates, Personal History by Central Alumni

Ray Moss

Posted on January 14, 2013January 16, 2013 by Bob Johnson

By Charlie Sedman: Raymond Earl Moss Jr. was killed in a small plane crash on October 7, 1976, two days shy of his 40th birthday. His son, Ray (Trey) Moss III was probably a year old when he died.

Ray’s father was a major league pitcher for the Brooklyn Robins (later to become the Dodgers) from 1926-30 and Boston Braves (1931). His dad lived to be 96 years old, passing in 1998, and his mother lived to be 101, passing in 2007. Ray, his father, and brother-in-law started a very successful chain of convenience stores – The Golden Gallon – in 1959 as an outgrowth of the family dairy, and Ray Jr. was returning from a trip for that business when his private plane crashed near Dalton, GA.

If you saw the recent hit by Jadeveon Clowney for South Carolina in the Outback Bowl that probably allowed his team to win, Ray Moss Jr. made a similar hit on a punt return against Baylor Prep in 1954, with his team trailing 7-6, and picked up the ball, returning it for a touchdown and an eventual 18-7 win; in effect clinching Central’s fourth straight state football championship, and him a scholarship to UT. I, as an 8-year old, saw and heard it, and it was the most electrifying moment I ever witnessed at a live sporting event.

Commencement Speakers, Graduates, Memories

1944 Photo Courtesy of Grace Pfitzer

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Bob Johnson

1944 Commencement Speakers — Reverse Side of Photo

Graduates, Historical Marker on Dodds Avenue

Visitors to Our Central Historical Marker

Posted on November 5, 2012November 29, 2012 by Bob Johnson

Grace Ehmler Dalton, Class of 1965, visits our Central Historical Marker with her aunt, Grace Pfitzer, Class of 1944:

Grace Pfitzer ( my 86 yr old aunt) is a 1944 Central graduate — Grace Pfitzer, Class of 1944, Visit Central Historical Marker

Grace at Central Marker (1) — Grace Ehmler Dalton, Class of 1965, Visits Central Historical Marker

Graduates, Graduating Class

Possibly Our Oldest Surviving Graduate on July 4, 2012

Posted on July 6, 2012July 8, 2012 by Bob Johnson

We believe Mary Josephine Smith Bevilaqua, Class of 1933, is the oldest surviving Central graduate. Her mother was an early Central attendee, and her daughter-in-law, Mary Alice Howell Bevilaqua, is a Class of 1965 graduate:

Mrs. Bevilaqua’s 1933 Senior Picture

Dodds Avenue, Graduates, Preservation of History

Generations of Central Graduates

Posted on April 5, 2012July 6, 2012 by Bob Johnson

It saddened me yesterday when I received the following message from Class of 1965 classmate and friend, John Ettien:

“Bobby, my Mom passed this week. She was a Drum Majorette at Central High, Class of 1937. My brother Jim, sister Loretta and wife Patti are all Central High grads.”

Rosa Jane Verhey Ettien passed from among us, but I expect the Central spirit instilled in her in the late 1930s is with us still. On behalf of all Central alumni, condolences to John, Jim, Loretta, and Patti.

I also learned today that Charlie Sedman (father is Class of 1941 graduate) is a second generation Centralite and began thinking there are probably many others.

Seems appropriate to capture this information in our efforts to preserve Central history. So, please comment if you are or know them.

Fundraising, Graduates, Preservation of History, Thanks

Thanks to Buffy Hoge, ’74

Posted on March 8, 2012March 16, 2012 by Bob Johnson

Received the Adobe Acrobat X Pro software today from Buffy. This is the first contribution to the Preservation of Central History Fund (45-4405845) which has been set up to support preservation efforts such as this website. This software will contribute immensely to our preservation efforts.

Other alumni and interested parties my contribute by a check payable to Preservation of Central History Fund sent to Bob Johnson, 8909 180th Street Court East, Puyallup, WA 98375. Bob is a graduate of the Class of ’65.